Empire
Empire had its origins in the demise of the band Flash -- in fact, for a short while its name was simply Flash Mk. II. Guitarist Peter Banks, formerly of Yes, emerged from management disputes of Flash to pull together a band of jam-mates in the loosely structured ZOX and the Radar Boys. These jams had featured Phil Collins behind the drums, though his commitment to Genesis meant that he could only sit in on a few tracks of the 1974 recording sessions for the newly named Empire.
The sound of Empire had distinct progressive elements, as one might expect with both Banks and Collins around. Their recordings, though, were marked by a willingness to dip into a wide variety of musical genres, from blues to country blues. The band was also unusual among progressive bands in being fronted by a woman. Although Renaissance had the ethereal voice of Annie Haslam, Empire's Sydney Foxx provided a notable counterpoint to the band's complexity by with her strong bluesy vocals, not unlike Lydia Pense or even Janis Joplin at times.
Empire's work brought little success, though. Despite some anticipation among the pop music press, Banks and Foxx were unable to land distribution for their work either in Britain or the U.S. Still clinging to hope, the group recorded two more albums in the '70s but to no avail. It was to be two decades before One Way released them on CD; and while not exactly lost classics, the albums are of a high enough quality that it's unfortunate that the band was unable to get any footing before its breakup in 1980.
© Paul Collins /TiVo
-
Expensive Sound
Generi vari - Pubblicato da Munster Records il 24 lug 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Raven Ride
Rock - Pubblicato da Pride & Joy Music il 29 mag 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Where We Come From, Vol. 01
Generi vari - Pubblicato da Empire il 29 nov 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sky at Night (feat. Peter Banks, Sydney Foxx and Phil Collins)
Rock progressivo - Pubblicato da Cherry Red Records il 24 set 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chasing Shadows
Hard rock - Pubblicato da Pride & Joy Music il 26 nov 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
The Mars Tapes
Rock - Pubblicato da Peter Banks Musical Estate il 8 feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mark II
Rock - Pubblicato da Peter Banks Musical Estate il 31 dic 1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of Empire (feat. Peter Banks and Sydney Foxx)
Rock progressivo - Pubblicato da Cherry Red Records il 1 ott 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
HOUSE of EMPIRE
House - Pubblicato da House of EMPIRE il 20 ott 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Mark III
Rock - Pubblicato da Peter Banks Musical Estate il 31 dic 1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hypnotica
Hard rock - Pubblicato da Pride & Joy Music il 29 gen 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mark I
Rock - Pubblicato da The Peter Banks Musical Estate il 31 dic 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Club Area 51 - Full Spectrum Dominance Alpha
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Area 51 Records il 6 ott 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Trading Souls
Hard rock - Pubblicato da Pride & Joy Music il 13 mag 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Expansive Sound, Vol.II
Rock - Pubblicato da Poorly Packaged Products il 8 dic 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mark II
Rock - Pubblicato da The Peter Banks Musical Estate il 31 dic 1977
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-